As some drivers put it, Corolla is Camry’s younger brother. It’s smaller, more flexible, and available at a rather affordable price. It’s not as strong in terms of the powertrain, however, and can’t compete with any mid-size sedan in HP, acceleration, or up-hill performance. Now, if you don’t have the budget to upgrade the air intake system in Camry, you can always consider the best cold air intake for Toyota Corolla.
While it won’t improve the powertrain dramatically, it will, most certainly, perfect this compact car’s performance on highways and city streets. The market is full of different intake systems – so, which one should you choose? Which company offers the best balance and quality? After doing weeks of research and rigorous testing, I came up with the following list. Go ahead and take a look!
Best Cold Air Intake for Toyota Corolla (Updated April, 2024)
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Best Toyota Corolla Cold Air Intake for Review
1. K&N Toyota Corolla Cold Air Intake
If it’s ease of use and reliability that you’re looking for in a replacement air intake, K&N has got you covered. It boasts superb construction quality and premium materials (for this price segment, of course). The installation won’t be an issue either: all it’s gonna take is to follow the user manual closely. Do that, and you’ll be done in no time. This air kit is legal in all 50 US states, including California.
There is one con among these pros, though, and it has to do with noise. While the overall sound quality will be greatly improved, on a cold startup, you’ll hear some sort of hissing. Again, it’s not a rowdy air filtration system, and once you go to higher RPMs, all that will go away. Besides, on the bright side, you’ll get a minor boost in HP/torque, a pre-oiled filter, and good looks.
High-end engineering, ho-hassle installation, and easy maintenance are one of this product’s biggest advantages. It can be ordered to any of the American states and comes packed with everything need to replace the stock system. It does make a sizzling sound upon startup sometimes, however.
2. Rtunes Racing Short Ram Air Intake for Toyota Corolla
The big question here is – why should you consider picking Rtunes Racing over K&N? What does this company have to offer? First of all, this air intake kit is significantly cheaper. It’s one of the least expensive offers on the market, by the way. Secondly, it adds a “performance growl” upon acceleration, making Corolla sound like a sports car. Add a modest improvement in fuel efficiency, and you’ll see why I included it in the list.
The package is pretty generous, too. It features all the necessary installation hardware, including stainless steel bolts, clamps, and decent-quality hoses. On the downside, the list of supported Corolla vehicles is rather limited. This air kit only fits the 1998-2002 model years. But if that’s exactly what you’re driving, Rtunes will most certainly be worth your investment.
Affordability is the #1 reason to put the Rtunes Racing cold air intake system on your list of must-haves. On top of that, it comes with a long and generous list of high-quality installation hardware. And while it’s only compatible with a short range of Corollas, that’s compensated by the boost in MPG and the roaring engine sounds.
Conclusion
Corolla is one of the best-selling nameplates ever. With ~50 million units sold around the world, it’s got a strong presence on an international level. This is mostly achieved thanks to the incredibly durable, reliable, and safe construction. Plus, as a compact car, it doesn’t really need to be super strong, fast, or good in off-roading. However, Corolla owners know very well that it’s not the most fuel-efficient vehicle out there.
Plus, on some steep hills and difficult trails, it tends to struggle a lot. That can be (partially) fixed with one of the third-party cold air intake systems that we checked today. The Rtunes Racing air kit is one of the least expensive options on the market. As for K&N’s gear, it’s incredibly reliable, thanks to high-quality parts, and can be installed in less than an hour.
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